Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Government Exists because Worship Doesn't
The other day I had the privilege to hear a person speak on the election from a biblical perspective. He did an excellent job of pointing out a number of criteria that we need to consider when we vote. As he spoke I got to thinking, though. Something made me angry inside but I couldn't put my finger on it.
As I was on my way home I was reminded by a phrase that Mark Driscoll often says. "Missions exists because worship doesn't," popped in my head and would not leave. This really got me thinking about the upcoming election.
1 Samuel 8 tells us the story of the nation of Israel begging Samuel for a king. A weak reason seems to be found in verse 5. "We want a king because everyone else has a king..." (Paraphrase by me.) God reminds Samuel in verses 7-8 that they are not rejecting Samuel, but God himself. Even after things like deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and any number of things until that day, God was not enough for them...
This is what was bothering me. So often we are reminded by our "for God and Country" radio station that we need to get out and vote. We need to let our voices be heard in the political arena. We need to support "God's man," in "every" coming election. It makes me want to pull my hair out.
It is very simple, though, as to why this is. Our condition, EVEN AFTER JESUS, is no better of than that of the people of Israel in the time of Samuel. We pledge our allegiance to America, and to the Republican or Democratic Parties simply because God isn't enough for us. We live like everyone else because we want a king like everyone else.
I am going to be taking a look over a couple of posts as to what to do about this. In the mean time, I am convicted as I write this and I hope I can articulate what is in my heart that we might take a step forward.
As I was on my way home I was reminded by a phrase that Mark Driscoll often says. "Missions exists because worship doesn't," popped in my head and would not leave. This really got me thinking about the upcoming election.
1 Samuel 8 tells us the story of the nation of Israel begging Samuel for a king. A weak reason seems to be found in verse 5. "We want a king because everyone else has a king..." (Paraphrase by me.) God reminds Samuel in verses 7-8 that they are not rejecting Samuel, but God himself. Even after things like deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and any number of things until that day, God was not enough for them...
This is what was bothering me. So often we are reminded by our "for God and Country" radio station that we need to get out and vote. We need to let our voices be heard in the political arena. We need to support "God's man," in "every" coming election. It makes me want to pull my hair out.
It is very simple, though, as to why this is. Our condition, EVEN AFTER JESUS, is no better of than that of the people of Israel in the time of Samuel. We pledge our allegiance to America, and to the Republican or Democratic Parties simply because God isn't enough for us. We live like everyone else because we want a king like everyone else.
I am going to be taking a look over a couple of posts as to what to do about this. In the mean time, I am convicted as I write this and I hope I can articulate what is in my heart that we might take a step forward.
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